This paper is one of the three reports which covers sub-component of the FAO/TCP-supported Project TCP/PHI/0003(T) entitled “Field Level Workshops for the Fishpen Development in Laguna de Bay”. The project was completed during the period 31 March to 31 October 1981, the equivalent of 3.5 man-months, under the coordination and guidance of the FAO/TCP South China Sea Fisheries Development and Coordinating Programme.
Fish culture in pens in Laguna de Bay has been
successfully and profitably practiced during the past
decade. The industry began after the Laguna Lake
Development Authority (LLDA) demonstrated successfully
the commercial culture of milkfish in pens at
Cardona, Rizal in 1970. Since 1970, fishpens have proliferated
in Laguna de Bay, the largest lake in the Philippines
with an area of 90 000 ha. In 1973, there were
993 fishpens in the lake ranging from less than one
hectare to greater than 100 ha covering a total area of
4 802 ha (Nicolas and Librero, 1977). In 1980, this fishpen
area increased to about 7 000 ha estimated at an
annual yield of 25 000, 30 000 tons of milkfish valued at
approximately 
200–250 million (Mane, 1981). The
expansion area for the fishpen industry is still great and
currently receiving due attention for development from
the government.
The normal investment required to venture in fishpen culture, however, is beyond the reach of small fishermen. Hence, the opportunity is usually taken by those who have the capital and access to technical know-how.
For LLDA in its effort to help the small fishermen in the lake, has conceived of the Laguna de Bay Fishpen Development Project (LBFDP). The major objective of this project is to provide additional source of income for the small fishermen by participating in fishpen culture besides fishing in order to hasten and sustain their attainment of good quality of life.
In 1978, LLDA obtained a loan of US$9 million from the ADB and an additional US$4.5 million from the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries Special Fund (OPEC Special Fund), for extending credit to small fishermen in the development of their own fishpens. The total investment costs for the LBFDP is estimated at US$23.1 million, of which US$11 million and US$12.1 million are foreign and local counterparts, respectively.
Because of the high risk involved in fishpen culture caused by natural calamities such as typhoons, fish kills and other problems adversely affecting its level of viability, the Laguna Lake Development Authority (LLDA) recognized the necessity of involving the fishermen in the planning process at an early stage. The economic, social and political implications, as well as the technical and management problems, should be reviewed with prospective loan sub-borrowers in which the active participation of the LLDA/LBFDP management, their consultants and extension workers is also essential.
The assistance of FAO/TCP was requested by the Government of the Philippines to provide experts who would further strengthen the capacity of the executing agency in the effective implementation of the bankfinanced LBFDP.
The FAO/TCP technical team composed of a Senior Aquaculture officer as the team leader and a Market Analyst and a Socio-Economist as members, were permitted by the Central Luzon State University to work as consultants in the project. The team performed their job based on the set objectives, plan of work and terms of reference for each post with assistance from the South China Sea Fisheries Development and Coordinating Programme (SCSP) as the implementing agency, from their respective LLDA counterparts and collaborative support from the Bio-Resources International Inc. (BRI) consultants of LLDA. One of the main tasks of the BRI consultant team of four is to design the structural framework of the pen and cages including the culture system for the milkfish and the tilapia.
The objectives of the FAO/TCP assistance were: (a) to review the social/political, economic and technical problems besetting prospective fishermen sub-borrowers who will participate in fishpen/cage culture; (b) to deliberate on these problems and the potential benefits of pen/cage culture in a workshop format with selected and prospective fishermen to arrive at the most viable approaches for making the LBFDP work for the benefit of small fishermen; and (c) to make recommendations to the LLDA on the organization of the fishermen groups, the culture system to be encouraged and whatever adjustments to the proposed marketing system as may be required for successful implementation of the loan programme.
The workplan consisted of: (a) identification of barrios for the socio-economic study and discussion of methodology; (b) undertaking socio-economic study; (c) report preparation of the socio-economic study and preparation for field workshops; (d) conducting field level workshops; (e) preparation of the final report; and (f) implementation of workshops' findings and recommendations.
The terms of reference for the senior aquaculture officer (Team Leader) were to: (a) coordinate and supervise project activities; (b) analyze various culture practices proven experimentally and commercially feasible in Laguna de Bay, prepare and present to the fishermen workshop the background materials and opportunities on pen and cage culture as well as its practices and problems; (c) work with the fishermen and with LLDA through the workshops and other available means in developing technologically practicable proposals for loan-supported pen/cage culture in Laguna Lake; (d) with the assistance of the socio-economist, to train LLDA staff in the organization and conduct of participatory workshops to be continued as required in the remaining phases of the programme; and (e) prepare a final report on the findings and recommendations of the workshop, including those for implementing the succeeding phases of the fishpen development.
